The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-07-29
Washington Letter.


WASHINGTON, july -, 1887.
The records Of the past week show a lit
tie more than the usual amount Of public
business transacted in spite Of the intense
heat. The President remains entirely at
Oak View, and will continue to do so as
the present warm weather continues. But
his secretary, Col. Lamont, IS daily at the
White Uonse, aud all matters Of import
ancc are brought before executive notice
through biz agency. Numerous invitations
have been received inviting the President
and his wife to visit the west, and special
Iy the northwestern cities Of St. Paul and
Minneapolis. 4 telegram has been sent by
the mayor of st. Louis. asking If the Pres
ident would receive a delegation who come
to invite him to visit st. Louis after the
encampment IF the Grand Army men. The
President replied that he woald be in
Washington on Monday, bat he has so far
signifed no intention Of accepting any Of
the invitations extended to Lin.
Secretary Lamar is at present the only
member Of the Cabinet ont Of town, and
he has gone to Georgia to attend the we'd
ding Of his daughter. Miss Jennie, to her
cousin, Mr.. Lamar, a young lawyer prac-
Using IN Washington.
The Secretaries OF state, Wa and Navy
held a conference on Saturday, and have
at last named 4 successor to the late En-
ginecr, Harry Lee Snyder, who was Su-
perintendent of the State, Wal and Navy
Department. Il may be remembered that
Engineer Snyder died suddenly q few
weeks ago. Chief Engineer Thomas Will
hanson. L. s. N, has been nominated to
fill the place, and a commission made out
and sent to Oak View for the Presidents
signature. Engineer Williamson was for
merry attached to the Pacific Squadron,
and is now at his home in Warrenton. Va,
on waiting orders. 1t is said that his APP
pointment is as great a surprise to him, for
he was not an applicant for the position,
as it is a disappointment to several en-
gineers who were trying for the place.
The navy yard at Washington has been
transferred TO the control OF the ordinance
bureau, and the yard turned into a gun
foundry. This change has met with much
complaint and some ridiculc. but the work
progresses fayorably Notwithstanding. Be
sides the regular machine shops for the
manufacture Of naval ordinance, a class
has been organized to train seamcn, and is
now being instructed in the manipulation
and care Of guns, carriages, ammunition,
and all the parapheEnalia %ofgunning. At
ter the course is completed here, the sea
men are sent To Newport, II. l., for six
months instruction at the torpedo station.
On acquiring the required percentage, they
receive the pay Of scamen gunncrs, and are
also eligible to the position of warrent
officers. With the completion Of the new
cruisers, well equipped and manned by
trained seamen, our Navy will be no
longer a reproach to us, nor Justify the old
minstrel joke about having ''plenty of
water, " and only wanting a ''few ships to
make it the grandest Navy in the world,
SIR
The count Of cash in the Treasury vaults
begun on the 23d Of May was finished on
the 23d of July. This count was rendered
necessary by the change Of L. S. Treas
urer, Mr.. Hyatt, Of Conn, having succeed
ed Mr.. GORDON, who resigned 10 accept the
position OF Vice President Of the new
National Bank, established in New York
City. Of which ex-Seeretary Manning is
President. The count developed but one
error, a shortage OF $3.50, promptly made
good by the clerk TO whom through care
~lessness in the former count The error was
due. The mount on hand in national
bank notes and legal tender notes was dis
posed Of in about three days, but the sill
yer dollars occupied with a large force of
men TO do the work, two months in the
counting.
The present postmaster Of Charleston,
S. G., Mr.. MowTy, was, at the time of his
appointment, Clerk to the Committee Of
the House of Representatives. He now
claims the salary as clerk Of the Commit
tee up to June Both, in addition to that of
postmaster. First Comptroller Durham,
rejects the claim on the ground that no
one is entitled TO draw two salaries from
the Government. The objections of the
Comptroller appear fair, but it seems that
the Supreme Court has decided differently
in another and similar case, That Of Mr..
Saunders, now a clerk at the Executive
Mansion, who was at the time of his APP